Research indicates that teachers are the single biggest influence in children's ability to learn. That may be one reason the discussion and debate about reforming schools has zeroed in on the quality of teaching in the classrooms.
Congress began taking a closer look at how teachers are prepared and certified during the 1998 Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization. This effort intensified with the "highly-qualified" teacher provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act and is expected to continue during the upcoming HEA reauthorization.
The Educational Testing Service has long been engaged in efforts to measure and improve teacher quality. This may be seen in ETS policies and in the products and services it provides. The organization partners with parents, teachers and policymakers to find ways to attract, develop and retain the best possible teacher workforce.
Good and bad news can be found in current data on the teaching force. Of the three million teachers in the U.S., almost all have college degrees and half have graduate degrees. A growing body of research shows the positive impact of good teachers and high quality professional development on the nation's schools-that's good news.
However, there is increasing evidence that too many teachers have assignments that don't match their qualifications. Almost 30 percent of secondary school math teachers are not fully certified to teach math. Many student teachers do not meet high standards in core academic subjects.
An ETS-commissioned national survey on teacher quality found that Americans have a multi-faceted definition of teacher quality. It's not just about what teachers know but how they convey that knowledge to students. ETS will soon release a report that examines how teachers are prepared in the U.S. and in seven countries whose students perform better in math and science tests.
In these countries, teachers are members of a vigorously regulated profession with a highly centralized system of teacher education and certification.
To create a world-class teaching force, ETS believes it is important to build a world-class system to train and retain highly qualified teachers.
"If we want a world-class teaching force, we must build a world-class system to train and retain highly qualified teachers."
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